Publish date: 26 January 2026
Knee braces offer low-risk and effective option for managing painful knee arthritis, research shows
Using a knee brace can help people with painful knee osteoarthritis manage their symptoms, according to new research.
Led by Professor Melanie Holden at Keele University and Professor George Peat at Sheffield Hallam University, the study, known as PROP OA, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It was carried out in the NHS and with researchers from several universities across the UK, as well as in USA and Australia.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), showed that people with osteoarthritis who received a tailored knee brace intervention from their physiotherapist together with self-management advice and an exercise plan reported a greater improvement in their symptoms, compared to people that received the advice and exercise plan alone.
Around 1 in 5 adults over 45 are affected by painful knee osteoarthritis often causing significant long-term pain, lost time and productivity at work, and problems with daily activities. The researchers in this study wanted to investigate whether a knee brace might provide lasting benefit.
In this clinical trial, 466 people with knee osteoarthritis were assessed by a physiotherapist and then randomly assigned to one of two groups; one group received advice, written information, and an exercise plan; the other group received the same support but with the addition of a knee brace.
The type of brace was chosen to match the individual’s pattern of knee osteoarthritis. Participants were shown how to fit the brace, had a follow-up appointment, and received text messages over the next six months to encourage ongoing knee brace use.
Everybody in the study was asked to complete questionnaires 3, 6, and 12 months later to see how their symptoms had changed.
The findings showed that those randomised to the knee brace group had less pain, better physical function, and higher quality of life outcomes compared to the group who received the advice and exercise plan alone. There were no serious harms, but a minority reported skin rubbing or irritation from their knee brace.
Although the benefits on average were small, and reduced over 12 months, participants who used their brace as often as they were advised saw the greatest improvement.
Overall, these findings show that while the extra benefits from a knee brace are typically small and reduce over time, people with osteoarthritis may still find them worthwhile for self-managing their condition.
Professor Fraser Birrell, from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: "There has been little high-quality evidence on whether knee braces help people with knee osteoarthritis. This was a UK-wide trial led by Keele University with almost 100 patient recruited in the North East.
"It is the world’s largest independent trial of braces for knee osteoarthritis, and it shows that a tailored knee brace, alongside advice and exercise, is a low-risk option that patients may find worthwhile.
"This NIHR-funded research was only made possible through close collaboration between universities, the NHS, physiotherapists, our research team, and the patients who took part, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone involved."
The team included researchers from Keele University, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Birmingham, Newcastle University, Northumbria Healthcare, Boston University (USA), and University of Queensland (Australia).